Research Fellow (Electrochemical Ammonia Cracking / Decomposition)

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE; Singapore; On-site; SGD 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research institution in Singapore is seeking a Research Fellow specializing in electrochemical ammonia cracking and related areas. The successful candidate will focus on developing pathways for ammonia decomposition and hydrogen production while engaging in interdisciplinary research. Applicants should possess a PhD in a relevant field and ideally have experience in electrocatalysis and ammonia electrochemistry. This role offers an opportunity to work in a collaborative environment with state-of-the-art resources.

Qualifications

• Candidates should hold a PhD degree in a relevant discipline.
• Experience in electrocatalysis and electrochemical energy conversion is highly advantageous.
• Familiarity with characterization techniques like SEM/EDS, TEM, XRD, XPS.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to electrochemical ammonia cracking and oxidation research.
• Engage in electrocatalyst design and development.
• Support research proposal management and team communication.

Skills

Electrocatalysis

Ammonia electrochemistry

Electrochemical reactor design

Catalyst synthesis

Characterization techniques

Education

PhD in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or closely related discipline

Job description

Job Description

This posting is for one Research Fellow position in the area of electrochemical ammonia cracking (electrochemical ammonia decomposition and oxidation) in the research group of National University of Singapore, led by Dr. Xianbiao Fu, within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE).

The successful candidate will work at the interface of electrocatalysis, electrochemical engineering, and ammonia energy, with a primary focus on developing electrochemical pathways for ammonia decomposition and hydrogen production under mild conditions, as well as understanding the associated reaction mechanisms.

The Research Fellow is expected to contribute to one or more of the following research directions:

• Electrochemical ammonia cracking and electro-oxidation (NH3 electro-decomposition): Mechanistic understanding of ammonia electro-oxidation and electrochemical cracking pathways. Identification of key intermediates using electrochemical and operando techniques.
• Design and development of electrocatalysts for ammonia decomposition: Transition-metal, alloy, and high-entropy catalysts. Structure-activity-stability relationships under realistic electrochemical conditions.
• Electrochemical reactor and system engineering for ammonia cracking: Flow-cell and membrane-based electrochemical reactor design. Coupling ammonia cracking with separation and utilization.
• Operando and in situ characterization of ammonia electrochemistry. Integration of electrochemical techniques with spectroscopic and mass-transport analysis.

The Department of MSE at NUS offers state-of-the-art infrastructure for materials synthesis, electrochemical testing, reactor development, and advanced characterization, providing an excellent environment for interdisciplinary research at both fundamental and applied levels.

The responsibilities of the postdoctoral fellow also encompass facilitating communication and information flow among groups working in the fields of catalysis and electrosynthesis. Additionally, the fellow will provide management support during the development of larger research proposals and contribute to initiatives aimed at sharing and advancing infrastructure for catalysis and electrosynthesis research.

Research Group Website: https://www.xianbiaofugroup.com/

Applicants should send those materials (CV, cover letter, and 3 representative papers) in the form of a PDF document to the NUS Career Portal and submit all application materials in English.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or a closely related discipline.

The following experience will be considered highly advantageous:

• Electrocatalysis and electrochemical energy conversion
• Ammonia electrochemistry, ammonia oxidation, or ammonia decomposition
• Electrochemical reactor or flow-cell design
• Catalyst synthesis and structure–property analysis
• Experience with characterization techniques such as SEM/EDS, TEM, XRD, XPS, Raman, FTIR, XAS, or electrochemical mass spectrometry

Given the interdisciplinary nature of this project, candidates who demonstrate the ability to work across chemistry, materials science, and electrochemical engineering are particularly encouraged to apply.